Hundreds protest ICE in a demonstration outside Michigan’s state Capitol grounds

More than 200 people came out during lunchtime on Jan. 29 to downtown Lansing’s Capitol lawn to protest immigration policies.

The protest was organized by the local chapter of Visibility Brigade.

One of the local organizers, Kim Smith, said it was important for people to see opposition to the immigration enforcement, especially after several deaths, not just the recent deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. Smith held up a laminated paper listing the names of seven others she said had also died during the nation’s immigration enforcement crackdown.

Smith noted that despite the cold outside — the weather was in the teens, with blowing gusts of wind — there were lots of people who came out to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement policies and actions.

Smith said she wanted to see more protests.

Her group is part of the national Visibility Brigade. The mid-Michigan participants are planning another demonstration from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, at the corner of Capitol and Michigan avenues in downtown Lansing.